Marlow wished Walker could take her home on his motorcycle. She loved the thrill of riding on the back of his bike. But the engine was so loud she was afraid it might wake the others and alert them to the fact that it was nearly three in the morning.
They’d kept procrastinating the moment they had to get out of bed so she could get home. She was enjoying being with him too much to leave, even though they were just lying naked in each other’s arms and talking or sleeping.
“So...I have a big day at the station today—administrative stuff,” he said as they pulled up to Seaclusion. “But can I see you tomorrow?”
“I’m afraid not. I’ll be out of town tomorrow.”
“You’re leaving the island?”
“Only for the day. I have to meet with my father’s attorney in Atlanta about the estate.”
“When will you get back?”
She reached for the door handle but paused before climbing out. “It’ll be late. I promised Claire and Aida I’d take them to South Beach after I fly in.”
“Then I’ll try to free up some time today.”
“Okay.” She started to climb out but impulsively left her door hanging open as she turned, leaned over the console and grabbed Walker by the shirtfront—as he’d once done to her—to bring him in for another long, hungry kiss. “In case no one’s ever told you before, you are so good in bed. But don’t get a big head, because I can beat you at chess,” she added and heard him chuckle as she let him go and stepped out.
She could tell that he waited until she was safely on the property before driving off, but once he was gone, she suddenly wasn’t in any hurry to go inside. She doubted she’d be able to sleep even if she tried.
She’d never been in love, but she was feeling a crazy sort of drunken euphoria that had everything to do with Walker. Was this dizzying happiness simply the afterglow of great sex? Or of really liking and respecting the person she’d been with? Or both?
There was no doubt she liked Walker better than anyone else she’d dated or had sex with.
But...did her feelings go any deeper than that?
She told herself love couldn’t happen that quickly. She’d only been back on the island for a week. But she supposed the length of time since they’d seen each other didn’t matter. She’d known him her whole life.
A noise drew her attention, and she turned to see Aida slipping out of the door that led to the apartment over the garage. She was wearing nothing except a pair of silky pajama shorts and matching spaghetti-strap top, and her hair was mussed.
“Hey,” Marlow said.
Aida jumped. “Oh, my god. You startled me.”
“Imagine running into you here,” Marlow said with a laugh.
It was too dark to see any red in Aida’s face, but Marlow could tell she was embarrassed. “I couldn’t sleep.”
“So you woke up Reese?” she joked.
“I was invited over, if you must know,” she said. “He texted me a few hours ago.”
Marlow tilted her head to get a better look at Aida’s expression. “And? How’d it go?”
“Let’s just say he made it worth my time,” she replied with a grin. “It felt great to be with a man who was that excited to have sex with me. What about you? And don’t say you didn’t sleep with Walker, because after that kiss on the deck—” she whistled “—I can’t believe you two made it through dinner before heading back to his place.”
“Dinner was incredible.”
“And...”
Aida wasn’t going to let her off the hook. “So was everything that happened after,” Marlow admitted.
Aida’s smile widened. “Wow. You’re generally not one for hyperbole. For you to say that much, it must’ve been good.”
“Best sex I’ve ever had.”
“I’m not surprised. The way he looks at you almost makes me fall in love with him,” Aida said and slipped her arm through Marlow’s as they walked over to the guesthouse. “Maybe you’ll be moving back to Teach, after all, huh?”
Marlow had no idea what a relationship with Walker would mean—if it would even last. She’d learned enough about romance to understand that you could never take anything for granted. What’d happened to Aida was a case in point. She’d thought Dutton loved her, that she had a solid marriage.
“I’m just going to take it one day at a time,” Marlow said.
“That’s probably best in the beginning.”
The beginning was almost always fun. Marlow knew that, too.
It was the end that could get ugly.
Marlow slept through breakfast. It wasn’t until her friends returned from the main house that she woke up. She yawned and stretched while listening to them talk about going shelling. They were speculating about which beach might be best for this—the private beach at Seaclusion, one of the public beaches or one of the smaller beaches—when Marlow climbed out of bed and shuffled down the hall to say good morning.
“How’d you sleep?” Claire asked.
Marlow shoved her hair out of her face. “Like the dead,” she replied.
Aida flashed her a smile. “Me, too.”
“What is it?” Claire had noticed the subtle change in Aida’s tone. “What have I missed?”
“Nothing,” Aida replied.
Claire clearly wasn’t buying it, but she seemed determined not to react and focused on Marlow instead. “Your mother asked what time you got in last night.”
Careful not to look at Aida, Marlow cleared her throat. “And what did you tell her?”
“I said I didn’t know.”
Marlow relaxed. “Good answer.” Maybe now she wouldn’t have to go into it herself.
“But she’ll just ask you once you go over there,” Claire said. “She and Rosemary are waiting to see you.”
Of course they were. She assumed they were both uneasy after the kiss they’d witnessed on the deck. But Marlow didn’t want them to make a big deal out of her and Walker seeing each other. “Which is why I’ll probably text my mother to say I’m heading out to look for shells with you.”
“I doubt she’ll let you get away that easily,” Aida said. “She’ll want you to come wish her a good morning at least. And I heard her tell Rosemary to save your plate.”
Marlow was kind of hungry. It was so nice to be home, where her mother and Rosemary took care of her. But she could always pick up something to eat in town. “Did they seem to be in a good mood?” she asked.
“For the most part,” Claire answered.
Aida screwed up her mouth. “I’d say they were quiet this morning. Maybe because you weren’t there.”
“I don’t think that was it,” Marlow said. “Knowing I went out with Walker last night has probably thrown them for a loop.”
Aida blinked in confusion. “Why? They both care about you and Walker.”
Claire, who was more aware of nuance, tried to explain. “It shakes up the norm, erases the line between ‘family’ and ‘hired help.’”
Marlow doubted her mother would ever admit to feeling “better than,” but she suspected Claire was right.
“Maybe it would be different if Rosemary was new,” Claire continued. “But telling someone what to do, feeling entitled to most of that person’s time and energy, tends to create a hierarchy—especially after so long.”
“I guess I can see that,” Aida said.
“And Eileen’s illness probably intensifies it,” Claire added.
She had a point. Although Eileen had always been kind to Rosemary, Marlow wasn’t sure she truly viewed her housekeeper as an equal. The fact that she took great pride in how she treated Rosemary, as if she deserved recognition or accolades for being such a generous employer, sort of confirmed it. Having so much money and status had imbued Eileen with more power in the relationship. Although Marlow would hate to accuse her mother of elitism, she herself had behaved similarly toward Walker when she was young, and she’d gotten at least part of that attitude from her parents.
That Claire might be right was what made Marlow so reluctant to go to the main house this morning. She knew, on some level, that her mother wouldn’t approve if she were to get serious with Walker. Eileen would never expect her grandchildren—if there were any—to be Rosemary’s grandchildren, too.
And, thanks to the way Marlow had treated Walker before, Rosemary wouldn’t be pleased if they got together, either. She wouldn’t want her son to spend his life with someone who believed she was better than he was.
“Relationships can be so complicated,” Marlow said.
“You’re telling us,” Aida responded, joking.
Marlow managed a half smile. “I guess I’ll take a few minutes to go smooth everything over.”
“How do you plan to do that?” Claire asked.
Marlow started back to her room to get dressed. “By telling them last night was no big deal.”
“Was it a big deal?” Claire called after her.
“No,” she replied. And yet...it had certainly felt like one.
Rosemary was in the kitchen when Marlow came in—but she didn’t rush out to greet her. Whatever had happened with Walker, Marlow had been out especially late. Rosemary had been listening and watching for her return but hadn’t been able to stay awake past midnight.
“There you are!” she heard Eileen say to her daughter. “You slept in this morning, huh?”
Marlow: “I did, and it felt so good. I think I’m finally adjusting to being in a different time zone.”
Eileen: “I’m glad you got some rest. Are you hungry?”
Marlow: “Definitely. It’s such a treat to have my meals prepared. I’m so grateful to Rosemary.”
Eileen: “So am I.”
“Rosemary?” Eileen called. “Marlow’s here.”
“Coming!” Rosemary put Marlow’s plate of pancakes and bacon in the microwave. When it was hot, she carried it to the dining room. “Good morning.”
Marlow smiled at her. “Good morning.”
Rosemary couldn’t see any marks on Marlow’s neck. “How are you today?”
“Better after getting some sleep,” Marlow replied.
“Did you have fun last night?” Eileen asked.
Rosemary was glad Eileen had asked. She didn’t dare inquire about Marlow’s date with Walker, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t trying to catch every word. She bustled around, pouring Marlow a cup of coffee while trying not to give away the fact that she was listening so closely.
“I did,” Marlow replied. “We went to The Conch House. Have you ever been there?”
Eileen had finished her breakfast but was still sitting at the table, knitting baby caps for newborns, which she donated to various hospitals in Florida. Because she’d lost so much feeling in her hands due to her disease, it wasn’t easy for her to manipulate the needles, but it was something she could do when she didn’t feel well enough to do much else. “Not yet. They opened after the first wave of the pandemic and had to close down again. Talk about a terrible time to start a new restaurant.”
“No doubt they thought the worst was over,” Marlow said. “Anyway, they have good food. We should go there sometime.”
“What did you do after?” Eileen asked.
Marlow cleared her throat. “Walker showed me his house.”
“And then?”
“We sat and talked on his deck.”
Rosemary noticed that Marlow was looking more at the pieces of pancake she was moving around her plate than at her mother. Was it because she was hesitant to meet Eileen’s gaze? Was there more to last night than she was saying?
“Do you think you’ll go out with him again?” Eileen asked.
This was the million-dollar question, the one Rosemary wanted to hear the answer to, as well.
She noticed a perceptible pause before Marlow answered. “Maybe. If he asks me.”
“Of course he’ll ask you,” Eileen said. “He’s chased you for years.”
Rosemary felt herself stiffen at Eileen’s response. Walker was a good man. Any woman would be lucky to have him, even Eileen’s overindulged “princess.”
But that was defensiveness talking—the defensiveness Rosemary felt as a mother. She liked Marlow. She just didn’t want her son to get involved with her.
She needed everyone to play their respective roles and remember where they belonged. Maybe then everything would be okay.